April Showers

Entrepreneur April Showers has built a fast-growing consumer brand around a simple but powerful idea: representation matters.

As founder and chief executive officer of Afro Unicorn, Showers created a character-driven lifestyle brand designed to celebrate and reflect the uniqueness of women and children of color. Since launching in 2019, the brand has expanded into roughly 25 product categories — from apparel and accessories to toys, books, bedding and personal care — and is now carried by major retailers including Wal­mart, Target, Kohl’s, Amazon and JCPenney.

The concept for Afro Unicorn emerged from an unexpected source: a conversation with a friend who repeatedly referred to Showers as a “unicorn” for balancing multiple businesses while raising two children. Curious about the symbolism, she researched unicorn imagery and realized the digital iconography lacked diversity.

“I said, ‘Why am I just using this one white unicorn?’ It no longer resonated with me,” Showers recalled. “I couldn’t find one that represented us, so I decided to create one to be the change that I wanted to see.”

Working with a designer, she developed unicorn characters in multiple shades to reflect women and girls of color — a concept that quickly gained traction with consumers and retailers alike.

The brand’s rapid expansion has been dramatic and inspiring. With its national rollout at Walmart in 2022, Afro Unicorn became the first female Black-owned business to own a licensed character brand in major retail.

Today, Showers continues to grow the brand while mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs and expanding Afro Unicorn’s mission into media and entertainment.